An Activity for Neater Handwriting
What Changes with Kakikata Shodo, and How?

The real reason handwriting doesn’t get neater

When a parent tells us “my child’s handwriting is messy,” before we even look at the handwriting, we look at how the child holds the pencil and how they sit. Almost every child whose writing is hard to read holds the pencil too deep, has the thumb pushed out in front, or has their face too close to the paper. With the wrong grip, you cannot draw a line in the direction you intend. In other words, the handwriting is not bad; the child is writing with a grip that makes writing hard.

The next most common issue is stroke order. When the stroke order is all over the place, the shape changes every time and the writing never settles. And the last is “shape.” The vertical strokes of 「口」 (“mouth”) lean inward; the last stroke of 「大」 (“big”) sweeps out. Rules of shape like these are not picked up without being taught. Handwriting time at school (shosha) is limited, so children often don’t get this much individual attention.

The 4 things kakikata shodo changes

1. Grip

   We correct the pencil grip first. The younger the child, the faster it is corrected. Once the grip is right, the lines become firm and the pressure becomes steady.

2. Posture

   A straight back, where the paper sits, where the elbows go. Posture affects not only handwriting but concentration, too. “Writing time is sitting time” carries over to studying at home.

3. Stroke order

   Writing in the correct stroke order makes the shape of a character come together naturally. Children check the stroke order of the kanji they learn at school against a model as they write.

4. Shape

   Stops, hooks and sweeps (tome, hane, harai), the length of lines, the space inside a character. Children grow an “eye for observing”: looking closely at the model and finding where their own writing differs.

Pencil handwriting and brush writing: what each one does

If you want “neater notebook handwriting,” pencil handwriting works directly. But when a child learns the pressure of a “sweep” with the brush, their pencil lines change too. Learning both has a good effect on each. That is why Kodomo School teaches both, as “kakikata shodo.”

How long does it take?

Handwriting changes the moment a child feels “I wrote that neatly.” So rather than hearing “that’s messy” at home, children need the experience of being told “this part is beautiful” in class.

Left-handed children, children who hate writing, starting in the upper grades

Left-handed children: they keep the pencil in the left hand, and we adjust the grip and the position of the paper. For the brush, we talk with the child, and some practice with the right hand. We never force a change.

Children who hate writing: the reason is often “I don’t want anyone to see it because it’s messy.” In class, we first correct the grip so the child feels “I can draw a line.” Starting from a small “I did it!”, they stop disliking writing.

Starting in the upper grades or junior high: not too late. Older children understand quickly, so once the grip habit is corrected, many look like different writers within six months. Junior high students also learn semi-cursive script (gyosho).

What you can do at home

1. Look only at the grip: rather than whether the writing is good or bad, comment only on grip and posture. “You held the pencil at a nice slant.”
2. Make time to write slowly: even just when writing their name, say “slowly is fine.” Speed comes later.
3. Find “this part is neat”: just one character is enough; put the good point into words. Handwriting changes starting from the characters that were praised.
4. A habit of looking at the model: keep the classroom model or textbook on the desk at home too, and looking at it becomes a habit.

FAQ

One stroke at a time, with care. Neat handwriting is a treasure for life.

About the author

Taito MoritaFounder & principal of Kodomo School (Morita Group Co., Ltd.)

He carries on the Morita Juku founded in Toyohashi in 1972. Through soroban, calligraphy and art at about 90 classrooms in Aichi and Shizuoka and at our Hanoi school in Vietnam, he helps children build the strength to believe in themselves. He also gives talks and seminars on education.

Message from our founderTalks & seminarsUpdated: October 11, 2026